Voters in six areas in southern and central Benin go to the polls on Thursday in communal and local elections as they could not vote on 20 April because of hitches in the voting system. Pascal Gandaho, the communication officer of the Autonomous National Electoral Committee (ANEC), gave the assurance that arrangements had been made to ensure that the hitches were not repeated. The Executive promptly released 47 million F CFA needed for the re-run of the vote in these localities, thus making it possible for ANEC to take charge of the transportation of electoral material, formerly entrusted to the army. The Ministry of Decentralisation on its part, issued a communiqué banning the op ening of bars and shops in the localities. The elections are expected to elect 1,435 municipal and communal councillors and 26,060 village and district councillors.
